How A 1946 Movie Ghost Became One of Punk’s Most Iconic Logos

The skull logo/mascot most closely associated with the Misfits, has a legacy that dates back long before the legendary punk band played its first song — all the way back to 1940s horror.

What Inspired The Misfits’ Skull Mascot

Some call it the “fiend,” while others recognize it as “the crimson ghost.” When it comes to the true origin of the Misfits’ skull logo, the latter moniker is more precise.

The Crimson Ghost was a 12-chapter film serial that debuted in 1946, more than 35 years before the band’s debut album, Walk Among Us.

The film follows the story of the evil criminal mastermind known as The Crimson Ghost, who seeks to acquire a device called the Cyclotrode. It is believed to be so powerful that it can short-circuit every electrical current in existence.

If all of this sounds familiar, it’s referenced in a 1997 Misfits song with the same name.

By the time the Misfits dropped the track “Crimson Ghost”, the band had already been using their logo derived from the movie for nearly 20 years. The song was included on American Psycho, which featured similar titles inspired by horror films.

The Misfits’ Fiend Club fan club was born in 1979. That same year, the band released their “Horror Business” single, marking the first time the fiend was used as part of their artwork.

What Makes The Crimson Ghost An Odd Choice

The crimson ghost logo rules when used in the context of The Misfits. It’s not only associated with the band, but also a certain era of punk music.

But when you look back at the movie that inspired it all, the crimson ghost might be a little hokey today.

The Crimson Ghost debuted in 1946, a time when film magic wasn’t so… well, MAGICAL.

The title character parades across the screen wearing a skeleton mask and gloves that look like something that would be in the discount section of a Spirit Halloween store today.

What makes it even more hilarious is seeing people interact with the character in the film as if the man isn’t wearing a ridiculous skeleton outfit while laying out his diabolical plan.

Legal Battles Over Use Of The Fiend Skull

Today, the use of the fiend skull is closely guarded by the Misfits camp and has prompted multiple lawsuits, including some between the band members themselves.

In 2014, Glenn Danzig sued bassist Jerry Only for multiple violations, alleging misuse of Misfits trademarks and logos when Only formed a new version of the band without Danzig. The complaint included references to Only’s use of the skull derived from the 1946 movie.

Two sides eventually settled, and Danzig returned to perform with Only as The Original Misfits in 2016. But that hasn’t stopped additional lawsuits alleging misuse of the logo.

In 2020, the Misfits filed a lawsuit against Abrams Books, the publisher of the 2019 visual history book Scream With Me: The Enduring Legacy of the Misfits.

READ MORE: The Letter Glenn Danzig Wrote To Cliff Burton About Metallica Covering A Misfits Song

The suit alleges that Abrams used the fiend skull in the book without the permission of Misfits AD, the company founded by Danzig and Only after they reunited in 2016.

According to a report from Bloomberg Law, the band dropped the lawsuit five months after it was initially filed.